Solar cells incorporating light harvesting arrays
AssigneesNorth Carolina State University, The Johns Hopkins University
InventorsJonathan S. Lindsey, Gerald J. Meyer
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Abstract
A solar cell incorporates a light harvesting array that comprises: (a) a first substrate comprising a first electrode; and (b) a layer of light harvesting rods electrically coupled to the first electrode, each of the light harvesting rods comprising a polymer of Formula I: X1[Parenopenst]Xm+1)m (I) wherein m is at least 1, and may be from two, three or four to 20 or more; X1 is a charge separation group (and preferably a porphyrinic macrocycle, which may be one ligand of a double-decker sandwich compound) having an excited-state of energy equal to or lower than that of X2; and X2 through Xm+1 are chromophores (and again are preferably porphyrinic macrocycles).
Claims46
A solar cell, comprising:
- (a) a first substrate comprising a first electrode;
- (b) a second substrate comprising a second electrode, with said first and second substrate being positioned to form a space therebetween, and with at least one of (i) said first substrate and said first electrode and (ii) said second substrate and said second electrode being transparent;
- (c) a layer of light harvesting rods electrically coupled to said first electrode, each of said light harvesting rods comprising a non-discotic backbone polymer of Formula I:
- X1[Parenopenst]Xm+1)m (I)
- wherein:
- m is at least 2;
- X1 is a charge separation group having an excited-state of energy equal to or lower than that of X2;
- X2 through Xm+1 are chromophores;
- and
- X1 is electrically coupled to said first electrode;
- said solar cell further comprising
- (d) an electrolyte in said space between said first and second substrates.
A solar cell, comprising:
- (a) a first substrate comprising a first electrode;
- (b) a second substrate comprising a second electrode, with said first and second substrate being positioned to form a space therebetween, and with at least one of (i) said first substrate and said first electrode and (ii) said second substrate and said second electrode being transparent;
- (c) a layer of light harvesting rods electrically coupled to said first electrode, each of said light harvesting rods comprising a non-discotic backbone polymer of Formula I:
- X1[Parenopenst]Xm+1)m (I)
- wherein:
- m is at least 2;
- X1 is a charge separation group having an excited-state of energy equal to or lower than that of X2;
- X2 through Xm+1 are chromophores;
- X1 is electrically coupled to said first electrode;
- and
- X1 through Xm+1 are selected so that, upon injection of either an electron or hole from X1 into said first electrode, the corresponding hole or electron from X1 is transferred to at least X2;
- said solar cell further comprising
- (d) an electrolyte in said space between said first and second substrates;
- and
- (e) a mobile charge carrier in said electrolyte.
A solar cell, comprising:
- (a) a first substrate comprising a first electrode;
- (b) a second substrate comprising a second electrode, with said first and second substrate being positioned to form a space therebetween, and with at least one of (i) said first substrate and said first electrode and (ii) said second substrate and said second electrode being transparent;
- (c) a layer of light harvesting rods electrically coupled to said first electrode, each of said light harvesting rods comprising a non-discotic backbone polymer of Formula I:
- X1[Parenopenst]Xm+1)m (I)
- wherein:
- m is at least 2;
- X1 is a charge separation group having an excited-state of energy equal to or lower than that of X2;
- X2 through Xm+1 are chromophores;
- X1 is electrically coupled to said first electrode;
- and
- Xm+1 is electrically coupled to said second electrode;
- said solar cell further comprising
- (d) an electrolyte in said space between said first and second substrates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.